Chapter 63

‘Is it because she was a hostage too precious to give up or because she sucked when offended? Or was it because he didn’t feel the need to bother and answer this kind of minor physical contact?’

Of course not. Absolutely not. He just didn’t want her to apologize for these kinds of trifles. He didn’t want to confirm that she was feeling a sense of distance. He didn’t want to hear her asking for his forgiveness every time she put her cheeks on his shoulders, grabbed his hands, and leaned on his arms.

“Marianne, what I mean is …”

But he couldn’t say that. It was he who planted such a deep sense of betrayal in her eyes.

It was he who pushed her away coldly and did not make any excuses for her repeated asking.

In such a situation, he would have given her some hope if he had overturned what he told her up to now. What should he after giving her hope? Could he really protect this woman?

Eckart bit his lips with a long sigh.

He had yet to take his revenge for her mother. He didn’t yet forgive her father, nor did he throw him away completely. He could not know what to do with them. From a cool-hearted point of view, he would not even know how his fight against the rebel forces would end up.

But what if she were hurt more, felt despair, and lost her life like her mother because he couldn’t control his greed?

“No. You don’t have to answer. I already know that.”

“… Marianne.”

“Do not answer. please.”

Marianne leaned back on his chest in a desperate gesture. Their entangled eyes were cut off coldly and scattered in the air. She pulled away her hands and grabbed the hem of her dress. Silence fell again on the clear forest road. Occasionally, she was weeping. Eckart stiffened like a stone statue after hearing all of it. All he could do was make an excuse for her to weep and help her to create a love affair with him. He didn’t have the nerve to soothe her.

At that moment, a white bird flew from afar. The bird settled on the saddle edge, flapping its shiny wings.

“Phebe?”

As Poibe replied, it shook its chubby body back and forth. Its yellow crest nodded. Its black eyes sparkled like pebbles by the river.

“Did you enjoy the forest?” Marianne asked, hurriedly wiping her tears down to her chin. Poibe trotted toward her on its small feet and pecked up her arm.

“Sorry. My wagon was broken on the way. Your cage is probably in another wagon. I didn’t even get a snack for you!”

“Peeyi.”

Phebe usually spoke well, but it shook his head as if to protest by making a noise.

But it didn’t tear her hair with its claws or use its beak as a weapon like before. At least it meant that Phebe didn’t regard her as an enemy. In fact, she freed Phebe from the cage to enjoy the forest on the way, but it came back to her on its own.

“I’ll take care of you when I reach the residence. So, don’t be angry.”

“I’m hungry!”

“Okay, Okay.”

“I’m hungry!”

“Gosh, how come you’re so stubborn?”

Marianne laughed while stroking its head, feeling pathetic about this small, tender creature.

Her empty heart seemed to be a little warmer. She put the parrot over her finger and rubbed her cheek slightly.

Without knowing the blue eyes right beside her cheek, Poibe spread its wings again as if it was done and soared in the sky, disappearing in the distance.

They were approaching the local residence finally.

* * *

When they arrived at the residence, they hurriedly unpacked. It had been three days since they traveled, and now everyone was used to packing and unpacking.

Marianne got off the horse, helped by Eckart. Her rose-colored dress fell softly to the ground as the glow of sunset faded. Fortunately, her tears were dried off on the way, and the two weren’t stupid enough to show their previous emotional battle.

“Have a good rest.”

“You too, Your Majesty.”

They exchanged simple greetings like that when they parted.

The residence was clean and comfortable. As promised, Marianne fed Poibe meals and snacks, while Cordelli prepared warm water for her bath. As she took off her cumbersome dress and soaked in hot water, she felt the fatigue of the day piling up.

Eventually she was exhausted even before she finished the bath. She skipped supper. She changed her clothes early and lay in bed. Cordelli took care of her bedding and other stuff to the end and blew out the candle before going out.

It was calm everywhere. It was the best time for her to wrap up for the day and devise plans tomorrow. She had to analyze what happened during the day and prepare for the next day.

But she felt something strange in her head. She had a lot on her mind, but she couldn’t think of anything. It seemed that her brain refused to think. She didn’t even want to think why. As if she was thrown into a wild field with nobody around, she just felt empty and lonely.

Marianne did not realize that it was the defense mechanisms of the wounded. Others’ love and favor was so close and natural to her. As she was rarely rejected by anyone, she didn’t have many opportunities to understand the negative emotions that following rejection.

In the end, she just closed her eyes, thinking she was good. Sleep caught up to her as if on cue.

As heavy drowsiness intended to flee her, it quickly deprived her of consciousness.

She fell asleep as if she had passed out, not even aware of the moment she fell asleep.

* * *

Around that time in Milan, Duke Kling sat in front of the desk at the Imperial Office. Almost all the candles on the candlestick melted, with candles dripping like tears. Thick piles of documents were piled up like a mountain, divided into those that needed the emperor’s signature and those that didn’t. The blue ink bottle was almost used up at the bottom. Each book in the stack reeked of dry dust.

“Sir, are you not sleeping?” Colin asked carefully while taking some books from the opposite bookshelf.

In the meantime, there was the sound of Duke Kling writing something on paper.

“I’m fine. It’s late, so you stop and go back home. Iric, you, too! ”

“I’m fine,” Iric said, standing near him like a knight statue.

Colin urged him again after looking up at the tall knight. The cut on his face still bothered Colin.

“As for the wedding ceremony, you can get the emperor’s approval when he returns. And the draft tax law will come up after the Treasury, the Interior and the Justice Ministries discuss it first. Don’t work too hard, You worked till dawn yesterday…”

“The situation in the capital has changed a lot. As I’m behind others in this field, I think I have to work through the night for several more days to catch up with them.”

“But…”

Colin didn’t finish his sentence and drooped his shoulders. His red eyes beyond the glasses were full of concern. He looked like a rabbit with its ears drooped.

“The emperor will be busier after he is done digesting his schedule in Roshan. So, we here at the Interior should prepare as much as possible to lessen his work.”

“Then, let me tell the emperor how hard you worked. By all means!”

Colin clenched his fist and nodded violently.

If he had a son, he would be Colin’s age. Kling laughed nicely, thinking Colin, who would be the same age as his ‘son,’ if he had one, looked cute as he took care of him so well.

“Thanks, man.”

But he soon frowned and cleared his throat. Come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything all day. He felt thirsty belatedly. He swallowed a bitter smile. He was so absent-minded with work that he even forgot to eat. When he thought that he was now handling the work involving the emperor and his daughter, he became impatient and nervous. Nothing was more important to him than the two.

“I’m sorry, but can you bring me a glass of water?”

At that point, Colin quickly grabbed one of the cups of water on his desk. Iric, who was standing on the opposite side, was quick-witted enough to grasp the glass bottle at the entrance of the library.

“Here you are…”

“Here you are…”

Cling!

The glass and the vase that the two men offered to him at the same time clashed with a big noise. The water inside was overflowing, and the two things slipping out of his hand quickly fell to the floor.

Click! The water bottle and cup shattered quickly.

“I’m sorry!”

“It’s my fault. Sir, are you okay?”

With his face turning white, Colin flopped down. He put down books in his hand and groped on the carpet. Iric stopped him and picked up the broken pieces of glass on the floor.

“…”

But Kling said nothing. Colin, looking at him with an embarrassed look, raised his head toward the desk.

“Sir?”